Army Community Service staff members celebrate the program’s 60th birthday at Fort Knox, Kentucky, July 7, 2025. The early celebration featured free children’s books and popsicles as well as information on ACS resources. The ACS program’s actual birthday is July 25.

Army Community Service staff members celebrate the program’s 60th birthday at Fort Knox, Kentucky, July 7, 2025. The early celebration featured free children’s books and popsicles as well as information on ACS resources. The ACS program’s actual birthday is July 25.

Army Community Service staff members celebrate the program’s 60th birthday at Fort Knox, Kentucky, July 7, 2025. The early celebration featured free children’s books and popsicles as well as information on ACS resources. The ACS program’s actual birthday is July 25.

Army Community Service staff members celebrate the program’s 60th birthday at Fort Knox, Kentucky, July 7, 2025. The early celebration featured free children’s books and popsicles as well as information on ACS resources. The ACS program’s actual birthday is July 25.

FORT KNOX, Ky. — The Army Community Service at Fort Knox decided to celebrate its July 25 birthday a little early this year.

In the spirit of community, Fort Knox staff members celebrated the program’s 60th birthday at the installation water park on July 7. They set up outside the water park entrance and gave away free children’s books and popsicles as well as information on ACS resources in honor of the upcoming birthday.

Officials say the ACS program, which started as the Army Emergency Relief program run by Army spouses, has grown exponentially over the years and continues to do what it set out to do in the first place – provide Soldier and Family support.

“Programs have evolved and changed as the Army has,” said Shannon Wilson, Fort Knox ACS division chief. “We're trying to be relevant to today's Soldiers and Families, so we want to make sure that all the services we're providing are ones they truly need to maintain not only readiness and warfighting, but their ability to succeed in Army life and life after the Army.”

Wilson said streamlining the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) warm handoff and AER fund application processes, and adding a subprogram called ‘Military Moves’ to the Permanent Change of Station out-processing procedure are just a few of the ways the program has adapted to current Soldier needs.

“At ACS, we attack things as a group,” said Wilson. “We may be small, but we're mighty; and we want to do everything we can to help our Soldiers and their Families be successful, not only here but throughout their career.”

Army Community Service staff members celebrate the program’s 60th birthday at Fort Knox, Kentucky, July 7, 2025. The early celebration featured free children’s books and popsicles as well as information on ACS resources. The ACS program’s actual birthday is July 25.

Visit Fort Knox News at www.army.mil/knox for all of Central Kentucky's latest military news and information.